TPI Level 3 Associate Exam in Leasehold Management exam-day guide
TPI Level 3 Associate Exam in Leasehold Management · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID
Bring the original, in-date photo ID in the form the provider specifies (commonly passport or photocard driving licence). Check the name matches your booking exactly - a mismatch can bar entry. Confirm the accepted ID types with the provider in advance.
Exam appointment confirmation
Print or save offline the booking confirmation email showing your candidate number, date, time and venue or remote-testing link. Do not rely on webmail access on the day.
TPI membership/candidate number
Have your membership or candidate reference to hand for registration at the desk or in the testing platform. Confirm with the provider which reference is required.
Venue details and travel plan
Note the full address, postcode, nearest transport and the arrival window. For a test centre, plan to arrive with time to spare; check the provider's guidance on late arrival, as cut-off rules vary.
Calculator (if permitted)
Some leasehold questions involve service charge apportionments, percentages and interest. Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is allowed, what type (basic/non-programmable) is accepted, and whether one is supplied on screen.
Pen and paper or approved noteboard
Useful for working through apportionment and budget calculations. Confirm with the provider whether rough paper is permitted and whether it must be collected at the end.
Remote-testing equipment (if sitting online)
If your exam is remotely proctored, check the webcam, microphone, stable internet connection and browser requirements in advance. Run any system check the provider offers at least a day before.
Quiet, private room (if sitting online)
Remote invigilation usually requires a closed door, clear desk, no other people and no second screens. Remove notes, phones and smart devices from the desk area before you begin.
Water and any permitted medication
Keep a drink at the desk if allowed. If you need medication, food or other adjustments, arrange approved reasonable adjustments with the provider well before exam day rather than on the day.
Reviewed syllabus and key topic list
Use the provider's published syllabus or competency framework as your revision checklist - lease structures, service charges, budgeting and accounts, major works and consultation, insurance, repairs and covenants, arrears and forfeiture basics, and relevant law and regulation as listed.
Practice questions and timing plan
Complete at least one timed practice set so you know your pace per question and can decide in advance how to handle items you cannot answer quickly.
Provider rules and candidate handbook
Read the current candidate handbook for permitted items, calculators, breaks, absence and rescheduling rules, and scoring. Requirements change; treat the handbook as authoritative over any general guidance.
Plan the day
Stop expanding your notes and switch to consolidation: re-read your summary sheets for the highest-weight topics (service charge apportionment, budgets and balancing charges, Section 20 consultation stages, insurance obligations, lease covenants and breach remedies). Do one timed practice paper under exam conditions and review every wrong answer against the source material.
Confirm the practical logistics in writing: exam time, time zone, venue or platform link, ID requirements, permitted equipment and any approved reasonable adjustments. If anything is unclear, contact the provider now rather than on the day.
Check whether rescheduling or withdrawal is still possible at this point and what the deadline and fee would be, in case of illness or a clash.
Do a final pass over calculation methods using worked examples: percentages and fractions of total expenditure, apportionment by floor area or rateable value, and reconciling budgeted versus actual spend. Write the steps out by hand once so the method is automatic.
Light revision only - skim headings, definitions and statutory time limits. Do not attempt to learn new topics. Pack your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items in one place.
For a remote exam, run the full system and ID-verification check, update the browser, plug in or charge your device, and identify a backup internet option such as a mobile hotspot.
Confirm your journey or set your alarm with a buffer. Aim for a normal night's sleep; late-night cramming is usually counter-productive for scenario-based questions.
Eat properly and arrive or log in early - typically well before the start time, as check-in and ID verification take longer than candidates expect. Confirm the provider's late-arrival cut-off in advance.
Re-read only your one-page summary of formulas, consultation stages and key definitions. Avoid discussion of content with other candidates immediately before the exam.
Read the full instructions and note the number of questions, time allowed and whether there is negative marking (confirm the marking scheme with the provider if unclear). Note any on-screen calculator, flagging or review features.
Work in passes: answer the questions you know first, flag the rest, then return to them. Allocate time per question and stick to it - a scenario question on lease interpretation can absorb far too long.
For scenario questions, identify what is being asked, then what the lease or statute provides, then the practical management action. Where two answers look plausible, prefer the one grounded in the lease terms or statutory procedure rather than general good practice.
Keep the last few minutes for a review pass: check you have answered every question, re-check flagged items and confirm you have not left blanks where there is no penalty for guessing.
If a technical failure occurs on a remote exam, stop and follow the provider's stated incident procedure immediately - usually contact the invigilator or support line during the session rather than after it.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID specified by the provider, in its original form. Photocopies, expired documents and digital images are commonly refused, and entry may be denied without a refund. Confirm accepted ID types with the provider.
Do not bring unauthorised materials - notes, textbooks, smart watches, phones or any second device. For remote exams, phones should be out of the room, not merely face down on the desk.
Follow the provider's rules on breaks. For most computer-based professional exams there are no scheduled breaks and leaving the room during the session may be recorded or may end the exam; confirm the position for your sitting.
Calculators and rough paper are permitted only if the provider's rules allow them. Assume nothing - check the candidate handbook, as using a prohibited item is treated as misconduct.
Misconduct rules apply to both centre and remote sittings: no communicating with others about content, no copying, no screen sharing, and no attempting to capture or reproduce questions. Suspected misconduct can lead to voided results and referral under the provider's disciplinary process.
Scoring and the pass mark are set by the provider and may be reviewed between sessions. Do not rely on hearsay about the pass standard; confirm the current marking scheme, any negative marking and the results timeline with the provider.
Results issue within the timeframe published by the provider, and there is usually a defined window and fee for appeals or re-marks. Confirm the current process and deadlines directly with the provider rather than assuming.
If you are ill, have a personal emergency or experience a technical failure, notify the provider as soon as possible and follow its extenuating-circumstances or incident procedure. Late notification may not be accepted.